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Hallmark Doesn’t Make Cards for That
Yesterday I searched and searched for a card, but could not find one suitable for this morning’s wedding—the most beautiful wedding I’ve ever attended. The bride was glowing, wearing a tee-shirt and wrapped in a beach towel. The groom wore a matching shirt and complementary towel. The wedding party wore swim trunks. It was a…
baptism, baptism-wedding, baptismal, beautiful wedding, Bible church, Christian marriage, Christian wedding, chuch life, commitment, faith, faith in Christ, fidelity, Hallmark cards, inspiration, marriage, ministry life, obedience to Christ, pastor, pastor's wife, Prairie Bible Church, wedding, writer, writing -
Our Temporary Eternal Flame
Many churches feature an “eternal flame” at the front of their sanctuaries, a continually-burning candle that signifies the presence of Christ. Our church, being nondenominational and fairly young, does not have such a candle. This week, however, we did have an eternal flame. When Prairie Bible Church first moved into its building, the congregation read…
Bible, Bible church, christian, christian blog, Christian writer, christianity, church, church life, eternal flame, inspiration, life together, ministry, ministry life, nondenominational, pastor, pastor's wife, pastor's wife life, Prairie Bible Church, reading the whole Bible, scripture, study, worship, writer, writing -
Insignificant in Life, Glorious in Death
There’s a tree at the end of my street that is unfairly beautiful right now. It’s nice enough throughout the rest of the year, but in the early autumn it turns a vibrant red. I slow down whenever I drive past just to marvel at it. There’s something somber about this tree. It spends its…
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Therapy is Cheaper
“Cheaper than therapy” is a common caption for images of hiking trails, steaming cups of tea, plates of comfort food, running shoes, and so on. In these instances, it’s not wrong. It definitely is cheaper to exercise or enjoy a treat than it is to pay a mental health professional. But it is troubling when…
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The First Day of Christmas
Each week, I have anywhere between six and eleven rehearsals. Yesterday, however, was my favorite of the entire year: the first Christmas rehearsal. I realize it is only mid-October, but for musicians it might as well be the first day of Christmas. Spooky season and Christmas tend to blend together if you’re a musician…or Tim…
choir music, choral music, chorale, chorale midwest, christmas, Christmas choir, Christmas music, church, church choir, devotional, gloria, gloria in excelsis deo, joy, Music, music life, musician, musicianlife, Musings, orchestra, piano, professional musician, randol alan bass, rehearsal, rejoice, sacred music, theology and the arts -
Joyfully, Ryanne
I sign my emails “Joyfully,” which seems ironic. I don’t tend toward cheerfulness when I open my cluttered inbox. Signing my emails this way began as a choice—much like joy. No matter my mood when I type the body of a message, I am forced to rejoice when I sign and send it. The early…
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Seven More Books for Spooky Season
The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield This gothic suspene story is punctuated by frequent hot cocoa breaks. Equal parts cozy and creepy, it combines Wuthering Heights and Emily of New Moon. Tales of the Macabre by Daphne du Maurier This collection of short stories is a fabulous introduction to du Maurier’s poetic style. Make sure…
author, Book, books, Chesterton, diane setterfield, emily bronte, father brown mysteries, gaston leroux, good books, Good Reads, halloween, inspiration, literature, nine tailers, nine tailors, october books, october reading, old books, phantom of the opera, poem, Reading, recommendations, spooky season, the birds, thirteenth tale, writer, writing, wuthering heights -
Seven Books for Spooky Season
Autumn is upon us, which means I am devouring mystery novels. Here are a few of my favorite spooky season reads: Gaudy Night by Dorothy Sayers: Oxford, clever wordplay, romance, and a chilling mystery—what’s not to love? Plus, Harriet Vane and Peter Wimsey are two of the most quirky, endearing characters ever created. The Secret…
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Reader’s Slump: Causes, Symptoms, & Treatments
There is no greater affliction in the bookish life than the reader’s slump. This nonfatal but distressing issue is frequently caused by excellent books. For instance, one patient succumbed to reader’s slump after binge-reading Eric Metaxes’ biography of Dietrich Bonhoeffer. Because of the brilliance of this book, the patient was unable to find any other…
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Wednesday
Wednesday is a day of reorientation. Monday and Tuesday, I reflect on Sunday’s services. What went well? How did the music interact with the message? Was my preparation enough? On Wednesday, I turn my gaze toward the coming Sunday. I finalize my service binder, confirm my prelude and postlude, and rehearse with the choir. I…
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2022 Reading List
This weekend, I had the privilege of attending the Maranatha Christian Writers’ Conference. Perhaps the most invigorating part of this experience was swapping book recommendations. This inspired me to update my abandoned GoodReads account. This year has been a good one for reading and writing. I’ve finished my first draft of Fruitful Worship and, in…
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Three Things 8/21/22
Something Good: A lady in our congregation turned 99 years old this weekend. We took time during announcements today to sing “Happy Birthday” and to celebrate with her. This is what we noticed immediately when we visited Prairie Bible Church: it’s a family. Our church has grown a lot in the past year, but I…
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